province there is established a public institution called" the establishment of legal assistance of the Central Council secular ", with legal personality and responsible management of financial and material interests of the philosophical community nondenominational recognized and accepted legal assistance services, which are located on the territory of the province "(Article 5 of the Act). As part of that public status, there are many secular organizations – often much older than the public forum which are also meeting places for people with a common conception of life and homes of secularism have been started in many places for this purpose (sometimes with the support of municipal authorities). Some associations offer legal assistance on a non-denominational philosophical basis and therefore constitute an alternative to chaplains in hospitals, prisons, army or in the city. Some of these associations organize ceremonies celebrating locally for those who ask some key moments of life: sponsorship (on the occasion of the birth of a child) the secular celebration of youth secular marriage (as distinct from civil marriage) secular funeral These ceremonies are an alternative rite of passage for those who wish to socialize some important moments of their lives without recourse to the splendours of a religion in which they can identify. The budget at the expense of the Belgian state in 2003 for these grants amounted to €9,010,190. Composition of Central Secular Council The Central Secular Council, consisting of the Secular Action Center (Walloon-oriented) and the Union of Liberal Associations (Flemish-oriented), assembles a large number of civil organizations which service non-confessional individuals and families. Organized secularism outside Belgium In Europe Of course, associations "secular" in this sense also exist in France and in many other countries. A public status, assimilating this type of organization to a "recognized religion" are particularly Norway and Germany. The Norwegian organization has even won the right to solemnize marriages valid under civil law as well as the recognized churches. In the United Kingdom, Humanists UK (which inherited the British wing of the Ethical Culture movement) is the largest provider of Humanist officiants and celebrants for ceremonies and rituals. In North America In the United States, Freethought congregations have existed since the mid-19th century, when German freethinkers and anti-clericalists emigrated from their homeland in the midst of the 1848 Revolution; they were among the first to establish openly "free congregations" in the country. Today, Greg Epstein currently heads the Humanist Chaplaincy